上一节  下一节  回首页


----中文待译----

Apocalypse Explained (Tansley translation 1923) 569

569. Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.- That this signifies reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man, which were not received before, is evident from the signification of the angels at the river Euphrates, as denoting reasonings from fallacies which are in the sensual man, of which in what follows. And because reasonings from fallacies were not received in the church before, therefore those angels are said to be bound at that river, and are said to be four from the conjunction of falsity with evil, for this number, in the Word signifies the conjunction of good and truth, and in the opposite sense, as here, the conjunction of evil and falsity; see above (n. 283, 384, 532). In the preceding verses the sensual man, who is in the falsities of evil, and the result of the persuasions in which the sensual man is, were treated of, therefore in what now follows, reasonings from the Sensual are dealt with. And because the Sensual reasons only from such things as, in the world, are manifest to the senses, it does so from fallacies, called fallacies of the senses, when it reasons concerning spiritual things, that is, concerning the things of heaven and the church, and therefore it is here said, reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man; but concerning these fallacies and reasoning from them, more will be said in what follows.

[2] The subject here treated of is the state of the church at its very end, and such state exists when the men of the church, having become sensual, reason from the fallacies of the senses; and when they reason from these concerning the things of heaven and the church, then they absolutely believe nothing, because they understand nothing. It is a thing known in the church, that the natural man does not perceive the things of heaven, unless the Lord flows in and enlightens him, and this takes place by means of the spiritual man; much less can the sensual man [understand and believe], because this is the ultimate of the Natural, to which the things of heaven, called spiritual things, are altogether in thick darkness. Genuine reasonings concerning spiritual things exist from the influx of heaven into the spiritual man, and thence through the rational into the knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions that are in the natural man, by which the spiritual man confirms itself. This method of reasoning concerning spiritual things is according to order. But the reasonings of the natural man and still more of the sensual man concerning spiritual things are altogether contrary to order; for the natural man, and still less the sensual man, cannot flow into the spiritual man, and from itself see any thing there, since physical influx does not exist. But the spiritual man can flow into the natural, and thence into the sensual, for spiritual influx does exist. But upon this subject more may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 51, 277, 278).

[3] From these considerations it is clear that the meaning of the things which now follow, is that at the very end of the church man speaks and reasons concerning spiritual things, or concerning the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal Sensual, and thus from the fallacies of the senses, consequently, that although he then speaks in favour of Divine things, yet he does not think in favour of them. For man can, from the body, speak differently from what he thinks in his spirit, and the spirit, which thinks from the corporeal Sensual, cannot do otherwise than think contrary to Divine things; but still from the corporeal Sensual he can speak in favour of them, and especially because Divine things are the means of acquiring honours and gain. Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, and he can think from both, from the natural memory when he speaks with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he speaks from his spirit. A man, however, rarely speaks with another from his spirit, but only with himself, which is to think. Sensual men cannot speak or think from their own spirit with themselves otherwise than in favour of nature, consequently in favour of things corporeal and worldly, because they think from the Sensual, and not from the Spiritual, they are even altogether ignorant of what the Spiritual is, because they have closed their spiritual mind, into which heaven flows by virtue of its light.

[4] But let us proceed to explain the signification of the words, the voice which was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel, that he should loose the four angels that were bound at the river Euphrates. The river Euphrates signifies the Rational, and therefore reasoning also. The reason of this signification of that river is, that it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan, and by Assyria, or Ashur, is signified the Rational, and by the land of Canaan, the Spiritual. There were three rivers which formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan, in addition to the sea, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan. The river of Egypt signified the knowledge (scientia) of the natural man; the river Euphrates signified the Rational pertaining to man, and derived from knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions, and the river Jordan signified entrance into the internal or spiritual church. For the regions on the other side Jordan where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had inheritances allotted to them, signified the external or natural church, and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and afforded a passage, therefore it signified entrance from the external church which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. This was the reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, by means of which the natural man is introduced into the church, and becomes spiritual.

[5] From these considerations the signification of those three rivers in the Word is clear. All the places too which were outside the land of Canaan, signified such things as pertain to the natural man, whereas those which were within the land of Canaan signified such things as pertain to the spiritual man, thus those which pertain to heaven and the church. Those two rivers, therefore, the river of Egypt, or the Nile, and the river of Assyria, or Euphrates, signified the terminations of the church, and also introductions into the church. Cognitions also and knowledges (scientiae), which are signified by the river of Egypt, introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges (scientiae), no one can be introduced into the church, nor have a perception of those things which pertain to the church. For the spiritual man, by means of the rational, sees its spiritual things in knowledges, as a man sees himself in a mirror, and acknowledges itself in them, that is, its own truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by cognitions and scientifics, both by those which are known from the Word, and those which are known from the world.

[6] But the river of Assyria, or the Euphrates, signified the Rational, because by means of it man is introduced into the church. By the Rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges (scientiae) is able to see things in a series, from primaries and mediates the ultimate, which is called the conclusion, consequently, he can analytically arrange, reflect upon, separate, conjoin things, and at length form conclusions upon them, even to that ulterior end and at length to the ultimate which forms the use that he loves. This then is the Rational, which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves.

Because everyone's Rational is according to the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and because man by rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought, and becomes a church, therefore that river signifies the Natural introducing.

[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another thing to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual; the reason is, that the Rational, that is, the thought thereof, is in the natural man, but the Spiritual is above the Rational, and by means of the Rational passes into the Natural, into the cognitions and scientifics of its memory.

[8] But it must be observed, that the Rational does not introduce any one into the Spiritual, but it is so said, only because it appears to be the case. For the Spiritual flows into the Natural by means of the Rational, and thus introduces. For the Spiritual is the inflowing Divine, it is the light of heaven, which is the proceeding Divine Truth. This [light] flows through the higher mind called the spiritual mind, into the lower mind called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and by means of that conjunction causes the natural mind to form one with the spiritual. Introduction is thus effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man by his Rational to enter into the Spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angelic guards to prevent this taking place. It is therefore evident, what is signified by the four angels bound at the river Euphrates, and afterwards what is meant by loosing them. By the angels bound at the river Euphrates, is signified guard lest the Natural of man should enter into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for were this the case there would be nothing but errors and heresies, and at length negation.

[9] In the spiritual world there are also ways that lead to hell, and those that lead to heaven, likewise, ways which lead from spiritual things to natural, and thence to things sensual; and also in those ways guards are placed, lest any one should go in a contrary direction, for he would thence lapse into heresies and errors, as just stated. Those guards are placed by the Lord in the beginning when the church is being established, and are also maintained lest the man of the church, from his own reason or understanding, should introduce himself into the Divine things of the Word, and thence of the church. But in the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual, but natural, and many utterly sensual, and there being no way from the spiritual man into the natural with the man of the church, then those guards are removed, and the ways are opened, and being opened, they go in a contrary order, which is brought about by reasonings from fallacies. Hence it comes to pass that the man of the church can speak with the mouth in favour of Divine things, while in heart he thinks contrary to them, or he can speak in favour of them from the body, and think contrary to them from the spirit; for reasoning concerning Divine things from the natural and sensual man produces this effect. The signification of the four angels bound at the river Euphrates and of their being loosed is now evident from these things.

[10] That the river Euphrates signifies the Rational, by means of which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, is clear from the following passages in the Word.

Thus in Moses:

"Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Arcana Coelestia 1863-1866).

[11] So in Zechariah:

"His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth" (518).

[12] So in Moses:

"The land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land" (Deuteronomy 1:7, 8).

And again:

"Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours; from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be" (Deuteronomy 11:24).

So in Joshua:

"From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea, the going down of the sun, shall be your coast" (1:4).

In these passages the extension of the church from one boundary to the other is described, one of which pertains to the cognitive and scientific [faculty] and is signified by Lebanon and the sea, and the other pertains to intuition and thinking [faculty], and is signified by the river Euphrates. The extension of the land of Canaan denotes the extension of the church, for by the land of Canaan in the Word, is signified the church. The river is twice mentioned, namely, the great river, the river Euphrates, because by the great river is signified the influx of things spiritual into things rational, and by the river Euphrates, the influx of things rational into things natural, thus by both, the influx of things spiritual through the Rational into things natural.

[13] So in Micah:

"This is the day in which they shall come even to thee from Assyria, and unto the cities of Egypt, and thence from Egypt even to the river, and to sea from sea, and from mountain to mountain" (7:12).

The establishment of the church among the Gentiles by the Lord is described by these words. "This day" signifies the Lord's coming; the extension of the church among them from one end to the other is signified by "they shall come from Assyria, and unto the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the river." The extension of truth from one end to the other is signified by to sea from sea, and the extension of good by from mountain to mountain.

[14] In David:

"Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the nations and planted it, thou hast sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river" (Arcana Coelestia 107-121).

[15] Because the river Euphrates signifies the Rational, therefore, it signifies, in the opposite sense, reasoning. Reasoning here means thought, and argumentation from fallacies and falsities, but by the Rational are meant thought and argumentation from knowledges (scientiae) and truths. For every Rational is trained by knowledges (scientiae), and formed by truths, wherefore he who is led by truths, or whom truths lead, is called a rational man. But a man who is not rational can reason, for by various reasonings he can confirm falsities, and also induce the simple to believe them, and this is principally done through the fallacies of the senses, concerning which more will be said below.

[16] This reasoning is signified by the river Euphrates in the following passages:

"Now what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" (Jeremiah 2:18).

These words signify, that spiritual things must not be investigated by means of the scientifics (scientifica) of the natural man, nor by reasonings therefrom, but by means of the Word, thus out of heaven from the Lord. For those who are in spiritual affection, and thought thence, see the scientifics of the natural man, and the reasonings therefrom, as it were, below them, but no one can see spiritual things from the latter, for lower things may be viewed on all sides from higher ground, but not conversely. To investigate spiritual things by means of the scientifics of the natural man, is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor?" And by reasonings therefrom is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" Egypt and its river signify the scientifics of the natural man, and Assyria and its river signify reasonings from them.

[17] So again, in Isaiah:

"In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, in the passages of the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard" (66).

[18] Again, in the same prophet:

"Behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks; he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over" (8:7, 8).

These words signify, that in the church the Word generally and in all its details, will be falsified by reasonings based on fallacies and falsities. The waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria, signify reasonings from pure fallacies and falsities. He shall come up over all his channels, and over all his banks, signifies, that the Word generally and in all its details will be falsified. By Judah, which he shall overflow and pass through, is signified the church where the Word is, thus the Word.

[19] So again, in Jeremiah:

"Against the army of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who was by the river Euphrates, which Nebuchadnezzar smote. They have stumbled and fallen toward the north by the bank of the river Euphrates" (518:38).

[20] Again, in the same prophet:

Jehovah told the prophet to go and buy a linen girdle and put it upon his loins, but not to put it in water; then that he should go to the river Euphrates and hide the girdle there in a hole of the rock; and he went and hid it by the Euphrates. "After the end of many days, Jehovah said, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence"; and he went and took it, "and behold the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, that they might be unto me for a name, for a praise, and for a glory, but they did not hear" (13:1-7, 11).

These things represented the quality of the Israelitish and Jewish church and its subsequent state. The girdle of linen which the prophet put upon his loins signifies the conjunction of the church with the Lord by means of the Word; for a prophet signifies doctrine from the Word, and the girdle upon the loins of the prophet signifies conjunction. The falsifications of the Word through evils of life and by falsities of doctrine, and the reasonings thence which favour them, are signified by the girdle being marred in the hole of the rock at Euphrates. For the conjunction of the Lord with the church is by means of the Word, and when this is perverted by reasonings which favour evils and falsities, then there is no longer conjunction, and this is meant by the girdle being profitable for nothing. That this was done by the Jews, is evident from the Word both of the old and of the new testament; from the Word of the new testament, that they had perverted all things written in the Word concerning the Lord, and also all the essentials of the church, and that they had falsified them by their traditions.

[21] So again, in Jeremiah:

"When thou hast made an end of reading this book, thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again" (51:63, 64).

By the book of the prophet which he read, is specifically meant that Word which was in that book, but in general, the whole Word. By his casting it into the midst of Euphrates, is signified, that the Word, in process of time through the reasonings which favour evils, would be falsified by those who are meant by Babylon, Babylon denoting those who adulterate the Word.

[22] Again, in Isaiah:

"Jehovah shall devote the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with the vehemence of his wind shall he shake his hand over the river Euphrates, and shall smite it into the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod. Then there shall be a high way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria; like as it was to Israel when he came up out of the land of Egypt" (11:15, 16).

These words signify that all falsities, and reasonings therefrom, shall be dissipated before those who are in truths from good from the Lord, or who belong to the church, and that they shall, as it were, pass safely through the midst of them. This is the case in the spiritual world with those whom the Lord defends. The same thing is here meant by the drying up of the Sea Suph (Red Sea) before the sons of Israel; those who shall pass through under the protection of the Lord are signified by the remnant of the people which shall be left from Assyria, those left from Assyria denoting those who have not perished by reasonings from falsities. The meaning of the following passage in the Apocalypse is similar:

"The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings who are from the east might be prepared" (16:12).

These words will be more fully explained below in their proper place.

[23] From these things, it is now evident, that the river Euphrates signifies the Rational, by means of which the spiritual mind enters into the natural [mind], and that, in the opposite sense it signifies reasoning from fallacies and from falsities. It must however be observed, that reasonings are in the same degree as the thoughts, for they descend from them; thus there are reasonings from the spiritual man, which however must be called rather conclusions from reasons and from truths; there are reasonings from the natural man, and also from the sensual man. Reasonings from the spiritual man are rational, therefore they must be called rather conclusions from reasons and from truths, because they are from the interior and from the light of heaven; but reasonings from the natural man concerning spiritual things are not rational, however much they may appear to be so in moral and civil matters, which appear before the eyes, for they are from natural light alone. But reasonings from the sensual man concerning spiritual things are irrational, because they are from fallacies, and thence from false ideas. It is this last class of reasonings that is now here treated of in the Apocalypse.

Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead translation 1912) 569

569. Loose the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates, signifies the reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man, not before accepted. This is evident from the signification of "the angels at the river Euphrates," as being reasonings from the fallacies pertaining to the sensual man (of which presently); and because reasonings from such fallacies were not before accepted in the church these angels are said to be "bound" at that river, and they are said to be "four" because of the conjunction of falsity with evil, for this number signifies in the Word the conjunction of good and truth, and in the contrary sense, as here, the conjunction of evil and falsity (See above, n. 283, 384, 532). What precedes treats of the sensual man who is in the falsities of evil, and of the effect of the persuasions in which the sensual man is; therefore what now follows treats of the reasonings from the sensual. And because the sensual reasons only from such things as stand forth before the senses in the world, whenever it reasons respecting spiritual things, that is, the things of heaven and of the church, it reasons from fallacies, which are called the fallacies of the senses; therefore it is said here reasonings from the fallacies pertaining to the sensual man. But respecting these fallacies and reasoning from them more will be said in what follows.

[2] Here the state of the church at its very end is treated of, which is the state when the men of the church, having become sensual, reason from the fallacies of the senses; and when they reason from these respecting the things of heaven and the church they believe nothing at all because they understand nothing. It is known in the church that the natural man does not perceive the things of heaven unless the Lord flows in and enlightens, which influx is through the spiritual man; much less does the sensual man perceive these, for the sensual is the ultimate natural, to which the things of heaven, which are called spiritual things, are altogether in thick darkness. Genuine reasonings respecting spiritual things spring from the influx of heaven into the spiritual man, and thence through the rational into the knowledges and cognitions which are in the natural man, by means of which the spiritual man confirms himself. This way of reasoning respecting spiritual things is according to order. But reasonings about spiritual things that come from the natural man, and still more those that come from the sensual man, are entirely contrary to order; for the natural man cannot flow into the spiritual man and see anything there from itself, still less can the sensual man, since there is no physical influx; but the spiritual man can flow into the natural and from that into the sensual, since there is spiritual influx. (But on this see further in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 51, 277, 278.)

[3] From this what is meant by the things that now follow can be seen, namely, that at the very end of the church man speaks and reasons respecting spiritual things, or the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal-sensual and thus from the fallacies of the senses; although therefore man then speaks in favor of Divine things he does not think in favor of them; for a man is able to speak in one way from the body while thinking in another way in his spirit; and while the spirit which thinks from the corporeal-sensual is unable to think in any other way than against Divine things, nevertheless from the corporeal-sensual it is able to speak in favor of them, and this especially for the reason that Divine things are to him the means of acquiring honor and gain. Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, and he is able to think from either, from the natural memory when he is speaking with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he is speaking from the spirit; but man rarely speaks from the spirit with another, from the spirit he speaks only with himself, which is thinking. They who are sensual men are unable to speak with themselves from their spirit, or to think, in any other way than in favor of nature, consequently in favor of things corporeal and worldly, for the sensual man thinks from the sensual, and not from the spiritual; indeed, he is wholly ignorant of what the spiritual is, because he has closed the spiritual mind in himself, into which heaven flows with its light.

[4] But let us go on to explain these words, that "a voice was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel that he should loose the four angels bound at the river Euphrates." "The river Euphrates" signifies the rational, and thence also reasoning; this is the signification of this river because it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan, and "Assyria" or "Asshur" signifies the rational, and "the land of Canaan" the spiritual. There were three rivers, besides the sea, that were boundaries of the land of Canaan, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan. "The river of Egypt" signified the knowledge [scientia] of the natural man; "the river Euphrates" signified the rational which is in man from knowledges and cognitions; and "the river Jordan" signifies entrance into the internal or spiritual church; for "the regions beyond Jordan," where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had their inheritances allotted them, signified the external or natural church, and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and through it was the passage from one to the other, it signified entrance from the external church, which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. It was for this reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, whereby the natural man is introduced into the church and becomes spiritual.

[5] This explains what these three rivers signify in the Word. All those places also outside of the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the natural man, while those within the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the spiritual man, thus the things of heaven and the church. Therefore the two rivers, "the river of Egypt" (or the Nile), and "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates), signified the terminations of the church, and also the introductions into the church. Moreover, cognitions and knowledges which are signified by "the river of Egypt," are what introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges no one can be introduced into the church nor perceive the things that belong to the church; for the spiritual man sees its spiritual things in knowledges [scientiae] by means of the rational, as man sees himself in a mirror, and recognizes himself in them, that is, its truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by means of cognitions and knowledges, both those known from the Word and those known from the world.

[6] But "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates) signifies the rational, because man by the rational is introduced into the church. By the rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges [scientiae] is able to see things in series, that is, from first and mediate things to see the last, which is called the conclusion, and can therefore analytically arrange, turn over, separate, conjoin, and at length conclude things, even to a further end, and at length to the final end; which is the use that he loves. This, then, is the rational which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves. Since everyone's rational comes into accord with the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and as man through rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought and becomes a church, so that river signifies the natural 1which introduces.

[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual, since the rational is in the natural man, that is, is its thought, while the spiritual is above the rational, and through the rational passes into the natural, into the cognitions and knowledges of its memory.

[8] But it is to be known that the rational does not introduce anyone into the spiritual, but it is only said to do so because such is the appearance; for the spiritual flows into the natural through the rational as a medium, and in this way it introduces. For the spiritual is the inflowing Divine, since it is the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth proceeding, and this light through the higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, flows into the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and through that conjunction causes the natural mind to make one with the spiritual; thus introduction is effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man to enter through his rational into the spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angel guards to prevent this from taking place. This makes evident the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and afterwards the signification of "loosing" them. "The angels bound at the river Euphrates" signify the guard against man's natural entering into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for thence would result nothing but errors and heresies, and at length denial.

[9] Moreover, in the spiritual world there are ways that lead to hell and ways that lead to heaven; also ways that lead from spiritual things to natural and thus to sensual things; and in those ways there are also guards lest anyone should go in the opposite direction, for thus he would fall into heresies and errors, as has just been said. These guards are set by the Lord at the beginning of the establishment of a church, and are also maintained, lest the man of the church from his own reason or his own understanding should invade the Divine things of the Word and thence of the church. But at the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual but are natural, and many are merely sensual, and thus there is no way open with the man of the church from the spiritual man into the natural, then these guards are removed and the ways are opened, and in these opened ways they advance in a contrary order, which is done by reasonings from fallacies. Thus 2it is that the man of the church speaks in favor of Divine things with the mouth, while in heart he thinks against them, that is, he is in favor of Divine things from the body and against them from the spirit; for reasoning respecting Divine things from the natural and sensual man has this effect. From this then the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and their being "loosed" can now be seen.

[10] That "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, through which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:

Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates (Arcana Coelestia 1863-1866).

[11] In Zechariah:

His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth (518).

[12] In Moses:

The land of the Canaanites and Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, behold I have given the land before you; go in and possess it by inheritance (Deuteronomy 1:7, 8).

In the same:

Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates even unto the hinder sea shall your border be (Deuteronomy 11:24).

And in Joshua:

From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, and even to the great sea, the going down of the sun, shall be your border (Joshua 1:4).

In these passages the extension of the church from one limit to the other is described; one of its limits, which is the cognitive and knowing faculty, is signified by "Lebanon" and "the sea;" and the other limit, which is the intuitive and thinking faculty, is signified by "the river Euphrates;" the extension of the land of Canaan means the extension of the church, for in the Word "the land of Canaan" signifies the church. "River" is twice mentioned, namely, "the great river, the river Euphrates," because "the great river" signifies the influx of spiritual things into rational, and "the river Euphrates" the influx of rational things into natural, thus the two signify the influx of spiritual things through the rational into natural things.

[13] In Micah:

This is the day in which they shall even come to thee from Assyria, and to the cities of Egypt, and thence from Egypt even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain (Micah 7:12).

This describes the establishment of the church by the Lord among the Gentiles, "this day" signifying the Lord's coming; the extension of the church among them from one limit to the other is signified by "they shall come from Assyria to the cities of Egypt and from Egypt to the river;" the extension of truth from one limit to the other is signified by "from sea to sea," and the extension of good by "from mountain to mountain. "

[14] In David:

Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt; Thou didst drive out the nations and didst plant it. Thou hast sent out its boughs even unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river (Arcana Coelestia 107-121).

[15] As "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, so in the contrary sense it signifies reasoning; reasoning here means thinking and arguing from fallacies and falsities, while the rational means thinking and arguing from knowledges (scientiae) and from truths; for the rational is cultivated always by knowledges, and is formed by truths, therefore one who is led by truths or whom truths lead, is called a rational man; but a man who is not rational has the ability to reason, for by various reasonings he is able to confirm falsities, and also to induce the simple to believe them, which is done mainly by means of the fallacies of the senses (of which below).

[16] Such reasoning is signified by "the river Euphrates" in the following passages. In Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18)

This signifies that spiritual things must not be searched into by means of the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, nor by means of reasonings therefrom, but by the means of the Word, thus out of heaven from the Lord; for those who are in spiritual affection, and in spiritual thought therefrom, see the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man and reasonings therefrom as below them, but from these no one can see spiritual things; from above one can look down on lower things on every side, but not the reverse. To search into spiritual things by means of the knowledges of the natural man is signified by "What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor?" and by means of reasonings therefrom is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" "Egypt and its river" signify the knowledges of the natural man, and "Assyria and its river" signify the reasonings from them.

[17] In Isaiah:

In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the crossings of the river, by means of the King of Assyria, the head and the hairs of the feet, and shall also consume the beard (66).

[18] In the same:

Behold the Lord hath made to go up upon them the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall go up over all his channels, and shall go over all his banks; he shall go through Judah, he shall overflow and pass over (Isaiah 8:7, 8).

These words signify that each and every thing of the Word is to be falsified in the church by means of reasonings from fallacies and falsities; "the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria," signifies reasonings from mere fallacies and falsities; "he shall go up over all his channels and over all his banks" signifies that by these each and every thing of the Word will be falsified; "Judah, which he will overflow and pass over," signifies the church where the Word is, and thus the Word.

[19] In Jeremiah:

Against the army of Pharaoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates which Nebuchadnezzar smote. Towards the north by the bank of the river Euphrates they stumbled and fell (518.)

[20] In the same:

Jehovah told the prophet to buy a linen girdle, and to put it upon the loins, but not to draw it through water; and then to go to the Euphrates, and hide the girdle there in a hole of the rock. And he went and hid it by the Euphrates. Afterwards, at the end of many days, Jehovah said, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence. And he went and took it, and behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. Thus as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I made to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, that they might be unto Me for a name, and for a praise, and for a splendor; but they would not hearken (Jeremiah 13:1-7, 11).

This represented of what quality the Israelitish and Jewish Church was and what it became; the "linen girdle which the prophet put upon his loins" signifies the conjunction of the church with the Lord by means of the Word; for the "prophet" signifies doctrine from the Word, and the "girdle upon the prophet's loins" signifies conjunction. Falsifications of the Word by evils of life and falsities of doctrine, and thence reasonings that favor these, are signified by "the girdle was marred in the hole of the rock by the Euphrates." For by means of the Word there is conjunction of the Lord with the church, and when the Word is perverted by reasonings that favor evils and falsities there is no longer any conjunction, and this also is what is meant by "the girdle was profitable for nothing." That this was done by the Jews is evident from the Word both of the Old and New Testaments. From the Word of the New Testament it is evident that they perverted all things written in the Word respecting the Lord, and all the essentials of the church, and that they falsified these by their traditions.

[21] In the same:

When thou hast made an end of reading this book thou shalt bind a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again (Jeremiah 51:63, 64).

The prophet's "book" which he read, means in particular the Word that was in that book, but in general the whole Word; "he cast it into the midst of the Euphrates" signifies that in process of time the Word was falsified through reasonings that favor evils by those who are meant by "Babylon," who are such as adulterate the Word.

[22] In Isaiah:

And Jehovah shall make utterly accursed the tongue of the sea of Egypt; and with the vehemence of His wind shall He shake His hand over the river Euphrates, and shall smite it into seven brooks, to make a way with shoes. Then there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people which shall be left from Assyria; like as there was to Israel when he came up out of the land of Egypt (Isaiah 11:15, 16).

This signifies that before those who are in truths from good from the Lord, that is, who are of the church, all falsities and reasonings from them shall be dispersed, and that they shall pass safely as it were through the midst of them; this is so in the spiritual world with those whom the Lord protects. This has a similar meaning as "the drying up of the Sea Suph before the sons of Israel." Those who will pass through under the Lord's protection are signified by "the remnant of the people which shall be left from Assyria," "those left from Assyria" signifying those who have not perished by reasonings from falsities. The following in Revelation has a similar signification:

And the sixth angel poured out of his bowl upon the river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun might be made ready (Revelation 16:12).

This will be more fully explained below in its place.

[23] From this it can now be seen that "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational by means of which the spiritual mind enters into the natural, and that in the contrary sense it signifies reasoning from fallacies and from falsities. But it is to be known that reasonings are in a like degree as the thoughts are, since they descend from the thoughts; thus there are reasonings from the spiritual man which might better be called conclusions from reasons and from truths; there are reasonings from the natural man, and there are reasonings from the sensual man. Reasonings from the spiritual man are rational, and therefore might better be called conclusions from reasons and from truths, because they are from the interior and from the light of heaven; but reasonings from the natural man respecting spiritual things are not rational, however rational they may be in things moral and civil, which are evident before the eyes, because they are from natural light alone; but reasonings from the sensual man respecting spiritual things are irrational, because they are from fallacies and thus from ideas that are false; these are the reasonings here treated of in Revelation.

Footnotes:

1. Latin has "natural," though the "rational" seems to be intended.

2. Latin has "but thus."

Apocalypsis Explicata 569 (original Latin 1759)

569. "Solve quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen magnum Euphratem." - Quod significet ratiocinationes ex fallaciis quae sensuali homini, non receptas prius, constat ex significatione "angelorum ad flumen Euphratem", quod sint ratiocinationes ex fallaciis quae sensuali homini (de qua sequitur); et quia ratiocinationes ex fallaciis non prius illi ecclesia receptae fuerunt, ideo angeli illi dicuntur "vincti" ad flumen illud; et dicuntur "quatuor" ex conjunctione falsi cum malo, nam hic numerus in Verbo significat conjunctionem boni et veri, et in opposito senSu, ut hic, conjunctionem mali et falsi (videatur supra, n. 283 [a] , 384, 532). In praecedentibus actum est de sensuali homine qui in falsis mali est, et de effectu persuasionum in quibus sensualis, homo est; quare in nunc sequentibus agitur de ratiocinatione ex sensuali: et quia sensuale modo ratiocinatur ex talibus quae in mundo coram sensibus exstant, ratiocinatur ex fallaciis, quae vocantur fallaciae sensuum, cum de spiritualibus, hoc est, de rebus caeli et ecclesiae; ideo dicitur ratiocinatio ex fallaciis quae sensuali homini: sed de fallaciis illis, et de ratiocinatione ex illis, plura in sequentibus dicentur.

[2] Agitur hic de statu ecclesiae in ipso fine ejus, qui status est quando homines ecclesiae sensuales facti ratiocinantur ex fallaciis sensuum, et cum ex illis ratiocinantur de rebus caeli et ecclesiae, tunc plane nihil credunt quia nihil intelligunt. Notum est in ecclesia quod naturalis homo non percipiat illa quae caeli sunt, nisi Dominus influat et illustret, quod fit per spiritualem hominem; minus adhuc sensualis homo, quia is est ultimus naturalis, cui illa quae caeli sunt, quae vocantur spiritualia, prorsus in caligine sunt. Genuina ratiocinia de spiritualibus existunt ex influxu caeli in spiritualem hominem, et inde per rationalem in scientias et cognitiones quae sunt in naturali homine, per quas spiritualis homo se confirmat; haec via ratiocinandi de spiritualibus est secundum ordinem. Ratiocinationes autem de spiritualibus quae fiunt ex naturali homine, et plus quae fiunt ex sensuali homine, sunt prorsus contra ordinem; nam naturalis homo, et minus sensualis homo, non potest influere in spiritualem, et ex se aliquid ibi videre, quoniam non datur influxus physicus; sed spiritualis homo potest influere in naturalem, et inde in sensualem, quoniam datur influxus spiritualis. (Sed de hac re videantur plura in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 51, 277, 278.)

[3] Ex his videri potest quid per haec, quae nunc sequuntur, intelligitur, nempe quod in ipso fine ecclesiae homo de spiritualibus, seu de rebus caeli et ecclesiae, loquatur et ratiocinetur ex sensuali corporeo, et sic ex fallaciis sensuum; consequenter quod tametsi homo tunc loquitur pro Divinis, usque non cogitet pro illis; nam homo potest ex corpore suo aliter loqui quam in spiritu suo cogitat: et spiritus qui ex sensuali corporeo cogitat, non aliter potest quam contra Divina cogitare, at usque potest ex sensuali corporeo loqui pro Divinis, et hoc praecipue ex causa quia Divina sunt ei pro mediis ad honores et ad lucra. Sunt etiam cuivis homini binae memoriae, nempe memoria naturalis et memoria spiritualis; homo ex utraque potest cogitare, ex memoria naturali quando loquitur in mundo cum hominibus, ex memoria autem spirituali quando ex spiritu; et homo raro loquitur ex spiritu cum alio, sed modo secum, quod est cogitare. Illi qui sensuales homines sunt, non possunt aliter ex spiritu suo secum loqui seu cogitare quam pro Natura, proinde pro corporeis et mundanis; quia [sensualis homo] cogitat ex sensuali et non ex spirituali, immo prorsus nescit quid spirituale, quia apud se occlusit mentem spiritualem in quam caelum ex sua luce influit.

[4] Sed accedamus ad explicationem verborum horum, quod "audita sit vox ex cornibus altaris aurei, dicens sexto angelo ut solveret quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem." Per "flumen Euphratem" significatur rationale, et inde quoque ratiocinatio causa quod id flumen illud significet, est quia distinguit Assyriam a terra Canaane, et per "Assyriam" seu "Aschurem" significatur rationale, et per "terram Canaanem" spirituale. Erant tres fluvii qui erant termini terrae Canaanis, praeter mare; nempe fluvius Aegypti, fluvius Euphrates, et fluvius Jordanes; per "fluvium Aegypti" significabatur scientia naturalis hominis, per "flumen Euphratem" significabatur rationale quod est apud hominem ex scientiis et cognitionibus, et per "fluvium Jordanem" significabatur introitus in ecclesiam internam seu spiritualem; nam per "regiones extra Jordanem", ubi tribus Reubenis et Gadis, ac dimidia tribus Menassis sortitae sunt hereditates, significabatur ecclesia externa seu naturalis; et quia ille fluvius erat inter illas regiones et terram Canaanem, et dedit transitum, ideo per" illum significabatur introitus ab ecclesia externa quae naturalis in ecclesiam internam quae spiritualis.

[5] Haec erat causa quod ibi instituta fuerit baptizatio; baptizatio enim repraesentabat regenerationem hominis, per quam homo naturalis introducitur in ecclesiam, et fit spiritualis. Ex his constare potest quid tres illi fluvii in Verbo significant. Omnia etiam illa quae extra terram Canaanem fuerunt, significabant talia quae sunt naturalis hominis; at illa quae intra terram Canaanem significabant talia quae sunt spiritualis, ita quae sunt caeli et ecclesiae. Bini itaque fluvii, nempe "fluvius Aegypti" seu Nilus, ac "fluvius Assyriae" seu Euphrates, significabant terminationes ecclesiae, et quoque introductiones in ecclesiam. Cognitiones etiam, et scientiae, quae significantur per "fluvium Aegypti", introducunt, nam absque cognitionibus et scientiis non potest aliquis introduci in ecclesiam, nec potest percipere illa quae ecclesiae sunt; nam spiritualis homo per rationalem videt spiritualia sua in scientiis, sicut homo se in speculo, et in illis agnoscit se, hoc est, sua vera et bona; praeter quod confirmet sua spiritualia per cognitiones et scientifica, tam quae ex Verbo quam quae ex mundo novit.

[6] "Fluvius" autem "Assyriae", seu Euphrates, significabat rationale, quia homo per rationale introducitur in eccleSiam: per rationale intelligitur cogitatio naturalis hominis ex cognitionibus et scientiis; nam homo qui imbutus est scientiis potest res in serie videre, a primis et mediis ultimum, quod vocatur conclusum; proinde analytice disponere, versare, separare, conjungere, et tandem concludere res, usque ad finem ulteriorem et tandem ad ultimum, qui est usus quem amat: hoc itaque est rationale, quod unicuivis homini datur secundum usus qui sunt fines quos amat. Quia rationale cuivis secundum usus qui sunt amoris fit, ideo id est cogitatio interior naturalis hominis ex influxu lucis caeli; et quia homo per cogitationem rationalem introducitur in cogitationem spiritualem, et fit ecclesia, ideo per illum fluvium significatur 1

naturale introducens.

[7] Aliud est rationalis esse, et aliud spiritualis esse; omnis homo spiritualis est etiam rationalis, sed homo rationalis non semper est spiritualis; causa est quia rationale est in naturali homine, hoc est, cogitatio ejus; at spirituale est supra rationale, ac per rationale transit in naturale in ejus memoriae cognitiones et scientifica.

[8] At sciendum est quod rationale non introducat aliquem in spirituale, sed quod modo dicatur quia sic apparet; spirituale enim influit in naturale medio rationali, et sic introducit: spirituale enim est Divinum influens, est enim lux caeli, quae est Divinum Verum procedens; et haec per mentem superiorem, quae vocatur mens spiritualis, influit in mentem inferiorem, quae vocatur mens naturalis, et hanc sibi conjungit, et per conjunctionem illam facit ut mens naturalis unum faciat cum mente spirituali; ita fit introductio. Quoniam contra Divinum ordinem est ut homo per rationale suum intret in spirituale, ideo in mundo spirituali angeli custodes sunt ne hoc fiat. Inde patet quid significatur per "quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem", et dein quid per "solutionem" illorum; per "angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem" significatur custodia ne naturale hominis intret in spiritualia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, inde enim non nisi quam errores et haereses, et tandem negatio.

[9] In mundo spirituali etiam sunt viae quae ducunt ad infernum et quae ducunt ad caelum; tum quae ducunt a spiritualibus ad naturalia, et inde ad sensualia; et quoque in viis sunt custodes ne contrario modo vadant, quoniam inde lapsus in haereses et errores, ut dictum est. Custodes illi ponuntur a Domino in principio dum ecclesia instauratur, et quoque conservantur, ne homo ecclesiae ex sua ratione aut ex suo intellectu inferat se in Divina quae sunt Verbi et inde ecclesiae: at in fine, quando homines ecclesiae non amplius spirituales sunt, sed naturales, et multi mere sensuales, et sic cum apud hominem ecclesiae non datur via ex spirituali homine in naturalem, tunc removentur illi custodes, et aperiuntur viae; quibus apertis contrario ordine vadunt, quod fit per ratiocinationes ex fallaciis: 2

inde fit quod homo ecclesiae pro Divinis ore loquatur, at contra Divina corde cogitet; seu pro Divinis ex corpore, et contra Divina ex spiritu; hunc enim effectum habet ratiocinatio de Divinis ex naturali et sensuali homine. Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per "quatuor angelos vinctos ad flumen Euphratem", et quid per quod "soluti fuerint."

[10] Quod "flumen Euphrates" significet rationale, per quod via est a spirituali homine in naturalem, constare potest ex sequentibus locis in Verbo:

- Apud Mosen,

"Pepigit Jehovah cum Abrahamo foedus, dicendo, Semini tuo dabo terram hanc a fluvio Aegypti usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem" (Genesis 15:18):

per haec in sensu litterae describitur extensio terrae Canaanis, sed in sensu interno describitur extensio ecclesiae a primo ejus termino ad ultimum; primus ejus terminus est scientificum quod est naturalis hominis, alter terminus est rationale quod est cogitationis: illud, nempe scientificum quod est naturalis hominis, significatur per "fluvium Aegypti" Nilum; et rationale quod est cogitationis, per "fluvium Assyriae" Euphratem; ad illa duo extendit se ecclesia spiritualis, quae per "terram Canaanem" significatur, similiter mens spiritualis quae apud hominem ecclesiae. Utrumque tam scientificum quam rationale est in naturali homine, cujus unus finis est scientificum et cognitivum, et alter finis est intuitivum et cogitativum; in hos fines influit homo spiritualis dum in hominem naturalem; conjunctio Domini per illa cum ecclesia significatur per "foedus" quod Jehovah pepigit cum 3

Abrahamo. Sed haec per illa verba significantur in sensu interno; at in sensu Supremo per illa intelligitur unio Divinae Essentiae cum Humana Domini; secundum illum sensum explicata sunt illa verba in Arcanis Caelestibus, (n. 1863-1866 4

).

[11] Apud Sachariam,

"Dominari Ipsius a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad fines terrae" (9:10; similiter apud Davidem, 72:8);

quae dicta sunt de Domino, ac de Ipsius dominio super caelum et terram; ac per "dominium a mari usque ad mare" significatur extensio naturalium, et per "dominium a flumine usque ad fines terrae" significatur extensio rationalium et spiritualium (videatur etiam supra, n. 518 [c]).

[12] Apud Mosen,

"Terram Cananaei et Libanum usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem, vide, dedi coram vobis terram, intrate et hereditario possidete illam" (Deuteronomius 1:7, 8);

apud eundem,

"Omnis locus quem calcabit planta pedis Vestri vobis erit, a deserto et Libano, a fluvio, fluvio Euphrate, et usque ad mare postremum erit terminus vester" (Deuteronomius 11:24);

et apud Josuam,

"A deserto et Libano hoc usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem, universa terra Chittaeorum, et usque ad mare magnum, occasum solis, erit terminus vester" (1:4):

in his locis extenSio ecclesiae ab uno fine ad alterum describitur; unus ejus finis qui est cognitivum et scientificum per "Libanum" et "mare", et alter finis qui est intuitivum et cogitativum significatur per "fluvium Euphratem": extensio terrae Canaanis est extensio ecclesiae, nam per "terram Canaanem" in Verbo significatur ecclesia: quod bis dicatur "fluvius", nempe "fluvius magnus, fluvius Euphrates", est quia per "fluvium magnum" intelligitur influxus spiritualium in rationalia, et per "fluvium Euphratem" influxus rationalium in naturalia, ita per utrumque influxus spiritualium per rationale in naturalia.

[13] Apud Micham,

"Dies hic quo usque ad te venient inde ab Aschure et ad urbes Aegypti, et inde ab Aegypto usque ad fluvium, et ad mare a mari, et a monte ad montem" (7:12):

per haec describitur instauratio ecclesiae apud gentes a Domino; "dies hic" significat adventum Domini; extensio ecclesiae ab uno fine ad alterum apud illos significatur per quod "venturi ab Aschure ad urbes Aegypti, et ab Aegypto ad fluvium"; extensio veri ab uno fine ad alterum significatur per "ad mare a mari"; et extensio boni per "a monte ad montem."

[14] Apud Davidem,

"Vitem ex Aegypto proficisci fecisti, expulisti gentes, et plantasti illam; .... emisisti propagines ejus usque ad mare, et ad fluvium ramusculos ejus" (8, [11]):

per "vitem" 5

quam Deus proficisci fecit "ex Aegypto" intelliguntur filii Israelis, et significatur ecclesia, nam "vitis" significat ecclesiam spiritualem; illam etiam significant filii Israelis": et quia ecclesia vocatur "vitis", ideo dicitur "Plantasti eam, emisisti propagineS ejus usque ad mare, et ad fluvium ramusculos ejus", per quae describitur extensio spiritualium ecclesiae; "mare" est unus eorum finis, et "fluvius", per quem intelligitur Euphrates, alter illorum finis. Per "Euphratem"

Qui erat quartus fluvius exiens ex Edene (Genesis 2:14),

etiam significatur rationale, nam per "hortum in Edene seu paradisum significatur sapientia; quid per tres reliquos fluvios significatur, videatur explicatum in Arcanis Caelestibus, (n. 107-121).

[15] Quoniam per "fluvium Euphratem" significatur rationale, ideo in opposito sensu per illum significatur ratiocinatio; per ratiocinationem hic intelligitur cogitatio et argumentatio ex fallaciis et ex falsis; at per rationale, cogitatio et argumentatio ex scientiis et ex veris: omne enim rationale excolitur per scientias, et formatur per vera; quare is vocatur rationalis homo qui ducitur a veris, seu quem vera ducunt; at homo non rationalis datur ratiocinans, per varia enim ratiocinia confirmare potest falsa, et quoque inducere simplicibus credere illa, quod praecipue fit per fallacias sensuum, de quibus infra.

[16] Haec ratiocinatio per "fluvium Euphratem" significatur in sequentibus locis:

- Apud Jeremiam,

"Quid tibi cum via Aegypti, ut bibas aquas Schichoris? et quid tibi cum via Assyriae, ut bibas aquas fluvii?" (2:18):

per haec significatur quod non investiganda sint spiritualia per scientifica naturalis hominis nec per ratiocinia inde, sed per Verbum, ita e caelo a Domino; qui enim in affectione et inde cogitatione spirituali sunt, illi vident scientifica naturalis hominis ac ratiocinia inde sicut infra se, at ex his videre spiritualia nemo potest; ex alto possunt prospici inferiora undequaque, et non vice versa: investigare spiritualia per scientifica naturalis hominis significatur per "Quid tibi cum via Aegypti, ut bibas aquas Schichoris ?" et per ratiocinia inde, significatur per "Quid tibi cum via Assyriae, ut bibas aquas fluvii?" "Aegyptus" et ejus flumen significant scientifica naturalis hominis, et "Assyria" et ejus fluvius significant ratiocinia ex illis.

[17] Apud Esaiam,

"In die illo detondebit Dominus per novaculam mercenariam in transitibus fluvii, per regem Aschuris, caput et pilos pedum, etiamque barbam consumet" (7:20):

haec de statu ecclesiae in fine ejus, quando venturus Dominus; quod tunc ratiocinia ex falsis deprivatura sint homines ecclesiae omni sapientia ac intelligentia spirituali, describitur per illa verba; ratiocinia per quae, significantur per "regem Aschuris in transitibus fluvii", nempe Euphratis: deprivatio sapientiae et intelligentiae spiritualis inde, significatur per quod "per novaculam mercenariam detondentur pili capitis et pedum, et consumetur barba"; per "pilos" enim significantur naturalia in quae operantur spiritualia, et in quae desinunt; quare per "pilos" in Verbo significantur ultima sapientiae et intelligentiae, per "pilos capitis" ultima sapientiae, per "barbam" ultima intelligentiae, et per "pilos pedum" ultima scientiae; quando ultima illa non sunt, nec sunt priora, sicut quando non basis est columnae, aut fundamentum domui. Illi qui per ratiocinia ex fallaciis et ex falsis se deprivaverunt intelligentia, apparent in mundo spirituali calvi (videatur supra, n. 66).

[18] Apud eundem,

"Ecce Dominus ascendere fecit super eos aquas fluvii validas et multas, regem Aschuris, et omnem gloriam ejus, qui ascendet super omnes rivos ejus, et ibit super omnes ripas ejus; hic ibit per Jehudam, inundabit et transibit" (8:7, 8):

per haec describitur quod in ecclesia falsificaturi sint omnia et singula Verbi per ratiocinia ex fallaciis et ex falsis; per "aquas fluvii validas et multas, regem Aschuris", significantur ratiocinia ex meris fallaciis et falsis; per quod "ascendet super omnes rivos et super omnes ripas" significatur quod per illa falsificaturi sint omnia et singula Verbi; per "Jehudam" quem inundabit et transibit, significatur ecclesia ubi Verbum, ita Verbum.

[19] Apud Jeremiam,

"Contra exercitum Pharaonis.... regis Aegypti, qui fuit apud fluvium Euphratem.... , quem percussit Nebuchadnezar; .... septentrionem versus, juxta litus fluvii Euphratis impegerunt et ceciderunt" (46:2, 6, 10):

per haec significatur destructio ecclesiae et ejus veritatum per falsa ratiocinia ex scientificis; per "fluvium Euphratem" significantur falsa ratiocinia, per "Aegyptum et ejus exercitum" scientifica confirmantia; per "septentrionem" ubi impegerunt et ceciderunt, significatur unde illa falsa. (De his etiam videatur supra, n. 518 [e] .)

[20] Apud eundem,

Jehovah dixit ad prophetam, ut emeret cingulum lini, et poneret illud super lumbos, sed non per aquam duceret; et dein quod abiret ad Euphratem, et id cingulum in foramine petrae ibi absconderet: et abivit et abscondidit ad Euphratem. "Postea a fine dierum multorum dixit Jehovah, Surge, abi ad Euphratem, et recipe inde cingulum"; et abiit et recepit, "et ecce corruptum erat cingulum, nec proderat ad quicquam. .... Ita quemadmodum adhaeret cingulum ad lumbos viri, sic adhaerere ad Me feci universam domum Israelis, et universam domum Jehudae, ut essent Mihi... in nomen, in laudem et in decus, sed non obediverunt" (13:1-7, 11):

per haec repraesentabatur qualis Ecclesia Israelitica et Judaica fuit et facta est; per "cingulum lini", quod propheta daret super lumbos suos, significatur conjunctio ecclesiae cum Domino per Verbum; per "prophetam" enim significatur doctrina ex Verbo, et per "cingulum" super prophetae lumbos conjunctio: falsificationes Verbi per mala vitae et falsa doctrinae, et inde ratiocinia illis faventia, significantur per "cingulum corruptum in foramine petrae ad Euphratem": per Verbum enim est conjunctio Domini cum ecclesia; et cum id per ratiocinia faventia malis et falsis pervertitur, tunc amplius nulla conjunctio est, quod etiam intelligitur per quod "non prodesset ad quicquam." Quod hoc a Judaeis factum sit, constat ex Verbo tam Veteris quam Novi Testamenti; ex Verbo Novi Testamenti, quod perverterint omnia quae de Domino scripta sunt in Verbo, et quoque omnia essentialia ecclesiae, et quod illa falsificaverint per traditiones.

[21] Apud eundem,

"Quum absolveris legere librum hunc, ligabis lapidem super eum, et projicies eum in medium Euphratis; et dices, Sic submergetur Babel, nec resurget" (51:63, 64):

per "librum" prophetae, quem legit, in specie intelligitur id Verbum quod in eo libro; in genere autem totum Verbum: quod "projiceret illum in medium Euphratis" significat quod Verbum successu temporis per ratiocinia faventia malis falsificaretur ab illis qui intelliguntur per "Babelem", qui sunt qui Verbum adulterant.

[22] Apud Esaiam,

"Devovebit Jehovah linguam maris Aegypti; et agitabit manum super fluvium" Euphratem "cum vehementia venti sui, et percutiet eum in septem rivos, ut viam faciat cum calceis; tunc erit semita reliquiis populi Ejus, quae residuae erunt ab Aschure, quemadmodum fuit Israeli... cum ascenderet e terra Aegypti" ( 6

11:15, 16):

per haec significatur quod coram illis qui in veris ex bono a Domino sunt, seu qui ab ecclesia, dissipabuntur omnia falsa et ratiocinia ex illis, et quod tuti quasi per medium transituri sint; ita fit in mundo spirituali illis quos Dominus tutatur: simile hic intelligitur, quod per "exsiccationem maris Suph coram filiis Israelis": illi qui tutati a Domino transituri sunt, significantur per "reliquias populi quae residuae erunt ab Aschure"; per "residuas ab Aschure" significantur qui non perierunt per ratiocinia ex falsis. Similia significantur per haec in Apocalypsi,

"Sextus angelus effudit.. phialam super fluvium... Euphratem, cujus exsiccata est aqua, ut pararetur via regum qui ab oriente solis" (16:12);

quae amplius explicata videbuntur infra in suo loco.

[23] Ex his nunc constare potest quod per "fluvium Euphratem" significetur rationale, quo medio spiritualis mens intrat naturalem; et in opposito sensu ratiocinatio ex fallaciis et ex falsis. At sciendum est quod ratiocinationes sint in simili gradu in quo cogitationes, quoniam ex his descendunt; ita quod sint ratiocinationes ex homine spirituali (quae tamen potius vocandae sunt conclusiones ex rationibus et ex veris), quod sint ratiocinationes ex homine naturali, et quod sint ex homine sensuali: ratiocinationes ex homine spirituali sunt rationales, quare potius vocandae sunt conclusiones ex rationibus et ex veris, quia sunt ex interiore, et ex luce caeli; ratiocinationes autem ex homine naturali de spiritualibus non sunt rationales, utcunque sint in moralibus et civilibus quae apparent coram oculis, sunt enim ex solo lumine naturali; ratiocinationes autem ab homine sensuali de spiritualibus sunt irrationales, quia a fallaciis, et inde ideis quae sunt falsae; hae ratiocinationes sunt, de quibus hic nunc in Apocalypsi agitur.

Footnotes:

1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.
5. The editors made a correction or note here.
6. The editors made a correction or note here.


上一节  目录  下一节